Conservatives win French election
Paris: Conservatives led by Nicolas Sarkozy won the French presidential election on Sunday, beating his Socialist rival Segolene Royal and winning a powerful mandate for reform.

Sarkozy won 53.1 per cent of the ballot against 46.9 per cent for Royal.

Sporadic violence flared in a number of French cities after Sarkozy's victory was flashed on television screens. Almost 84 per cent of voters tuned out, the highest since 1988, extending the right wing's 12-year grip on power after two successive terms by President Jacques Chirac, who is retiring.

Sarkozy of Hungarian origin has promised to be a more pro-active and radical leader than Chirac, who will loosen rigid labor laws, trim fat from the public service, cut taxes and reduce unemployment.

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Conservatives win French election
Paris: Conservatives led by Nicolas Sarkozy won the French presidential election on Sunday, beating his Socialist rival Segolene Royal and winning a powerful mandate for reform.

Sarkozy won 53.1 per cent of the ballot against 46.9 per cent for Royal.

Sporadic violence flared in a number of French cities after Sarkozy's victory was flashed on television screens. Almost 84 per cent of voters tuned out, the highest since 1988, extending the right wing's 12-year grip on power after two successive terms by President Jacques Chirac, who is retiring.

Sarkozy of Hungarian origin has promised to be a more pro-active and radical leader than Chirac, who will loosen rigid labor laws, trim fat from the public service, cut taxes and reduce unemployment.

The French president is elected for five years, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, nominates the prime minister and is responsible for foreign and defense policies.
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Japan pledges $100 mn to ADB to combat climate change
Kyoto: Japan has pledged $100 million in grants to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to combat global climate change and promote greener investment in the region, and promote international agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions as part of the new initiative by Tokyo to support sustainable development amid increasing concerns that Asia's breakneck economic growth is having negative effect on environment.

Japan's will also provide up to $2 billion (Dh7.3 billion) in loans to the Asian Development Bank over the next five years to promote environmentally friendly investment in the region.

Over the last three decades, Asia's energy consumption has grown by 230 per cent, and it is expected to double again by 2030, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said yesterday.

Asia already accounts for one fourth of the world's greenhouse gas emissions - a leading cause of global warming.
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